Privacy Policy

The Options Industry Council (OIC) respects your expectations of privacy. This Policy describes the ways in which we use information provided by users of this website and mobile application.

Collection and Use of Personal Information

In general, you can visit OIC's website and mobile application without telling us who you are or revealing personal information about yourself. We do collect certain personal information automatically, and, if you wish to communicate with us via email, you may need to supply us with information relating to the purpose of your communication in order to enable us to provide you with a useful reply.

Automatically Collected Information

If you visit the OIC website or mobile application, our web servers collect and store information with respect to: the name of the domain and host from which you access the Internet; the Internet protocol (IP) address of the computer you are using; the browser software and operating system you are using; the date and time at which you access the OIC website or mobile application; and the address of the Internet site from which you linked directly to the site.

The OIC website and mobile application also uses "cookie" technology. A cookie is an element of data that a website or mobile application sends to the browser of a user of the website or mobile application. The OIC website's and mobile application’s use of cookies is currently limited to facilitating use of the website or mobile application, measuring activity on the website or mobile application, monitoring network traffic for security purposes, and all other information collected with cookies is anonymous. OIC does not use cookies to aggregate information with respect to use of the Internet from a particular email address.

Voluntarily Provided Information

If you choose to register for a seminar, the virtual trading system or other offered programs, or ask to request to receive materials, we may require certain information from you, such as your name, mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone number. We may also provide your name and address to third parties for purposes of sending you the information requested. In addition, we may rely on third party vendors to collect certain transaction and user information required to process any payment due for the transaction. Unless you specifically request us not to do so (by sending an e-mail to options@theocc.com), your name, mailing address, and e-mail address will be included in a potential investor database. This database is not sold, but may be distributed to our members and participants including interested broker-dealers or the options exchanges, or in some cases, the database may be distributed to third parties to provide you with information regarding upcoming OIC seminars, events, or other OIC related marketing materials. OIC does not allow the use of the information provided for reasons unrelated to options and other investment products. OIC has no responsibility for or control over the use to which third parties may put the investor database.

If you communicate with us via e-mail, you may need to supply us with information relating to the purpose of your communication in order to enable us to provide you with a useful reply. In some cases, we might forward an e-mail sent to us to a third party to facilitate an appropriate response.

You should note that e-mail is not necessarily secure from interception. The e-mail address or addresses identified in the OIC website do not have encryption capability. You should consider whether information of a particularly personal or sensitive nature is appropriate to include in an email.

OIC might use information provided to us by a user of this website or mobile application to further inform and educate users about U.S. listed options, or to improve the website or mobile application or the information that OIC makes publicly available. However, if we were to do so, we would not identify the source of the information provided to us.

Security and Confidentiality of the Website and Mobile Application

To protect the security the OIC website and mobile application and to ensure that the site remains available to all users, OIC employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage to the website or mobile application. See OIC's User Agreement for additional information.

OIC protects the confidentiality of your personal information by restricting access to personal information to our employees and agents for business purposes only in accordance with this Privacy Policy. All employees and agents are required to safeguard such information. OIC also maintains physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to guard your personal information.

Storage of Information Subject to United States Law

OIC is based in the United States. Personal information that is submitted to OIC online, via electronic communication or otherwise, may be maintained or accessed in servers or files located in the United States. Your privacy rights under this policy are defined by the law of the State of Illinois, in the United States. The European Union has not deemed that United States laws provide "adequate" privacy protection. If you do not consent to having your information processed and stored in the United States under Illinois law, please do not provide it to OIC or request that we remove it from our records.

Other Important Information

Links to third party websites are provided from this site or mobile application for your convenience. Should you leave this site or mobile application via such a link, the content of any third party website is not provided by OIC. OIC is not responsible for, nor has it developed or reviewed, the content of those sites. Third party websites may collect information from or about users. OIC's privacy policy does not cover any such collection activities, and users are advised to review the privacy policies of those websites for information.

Purchases made through this site or mobile application are with third party websites. All security measures associated with such transactions (in particular, credit card purchases) are the responsibility of the third party website. Questions regarding the transaction should be directed to the third party website. The third party websites may provide certain information to OIC regarding purchases made from their site. This information may include the purchaser's name and address, which will be included in the investor database described above. The third party website may also provide OIC with information on the amount of purchases made through OIC's site or mobile application. Certain other sections of the website or mobile application may be provided through third party vendors.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Privacy Policy, OIC reserves the right to disclose user information in special cases, when we have reason to believe that disclosing this information is necessary to identify, contact, or bring legal action against someone who may be causing injury to or interference with (either intentionally or unintentionally) our rights or property, other users of the OIC website or mobile application, or anyone else that could be harmed by such activities. We may disclose personal information without notice to you in response to a subpoena or when we believe in good faith that the law requires it or to respond to an emergency situation.

OIC does not knowingly collect or use any personal information from users under 18 years of age. No information should be submitted to this website or mobile application by guests under 18 years of age.

We continue to evaluate our efforts to protect personal information and make every effort to keep your personal information accurate and up to date. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you identify any inaccuracy in your personal information and need to make a change to that information, please contact us at options@theocc.com or call 1-888-OPTIONS so that we may promptly update our records. Please also feel free to contact OIC if you have any questions, comments, or feedback about this Privacy Policy and information practices, or your use of this site or mobile application.

OIC reserves the right to modify our privacy principles as business needs require. Any such modifications will be effective when published on this website or mobile application.

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This web site discusses exchange-traded options issued by The Options Clearing Corporation. No statement in this web site is to be construed as a recommendation to purchase or sell a security, or to provide investment advice. Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Prior to buying or selling an option, a person must receive a copy of Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. Copies of this document may be obtained from your broker, from any exchange on which options are traded or by contacting The Options Clearing Corporation, One North Wacker Dr., Suite 500 Chicago, IL 60606 (1- 800-678-4667).

This web site discusses exchange-traded options issued by The Options Clearing Corporation. No statement in this web site is to be construed as a recommendation to purchase or sell a security, or to provide investment advice.

Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Prior to buying or selling an option, a person must receive a copy of Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options (PDF). Copies of this document may be obtained from your broker or from any exchange on which options are traded or by contacting The Options Clearing Corporation, One North Wacker Dr., Suite 500 Chicago, IL 60606 (1-800-678-4667).